GlazeMonkey
Clay and Glaze Research

Books and References

A Ceramics Bibliography

Glazes & Decoration

The Ceramic Spectrum, Robin Hopper: This is wonderful book covering a large number of types of glazes, providing a great deal of theory of glaze making. It provides many jumping off points for glaze design and is not a catalogue of recipes. It teaches you a considerable amount about formulating your own glazes from all kinds of materials.
Glazes for the Craft Potter, Harry Fraser: This is a great book on glazes. It covers the basic materials in glazes and the basic concepts of glaze composition and chemistry in a very accessible way. I find it a very easy read and well written.
Clay and Glazes for the Potter, Daniel Rhodes: This is seemingly one of "the" references on the topic. Its a mine of information certainly though the style can be dry. It covers many topics and materials. A really good reference. I have found it a harder read than others but I'll try again.
The Ceramic Glaze Handbook, Mark Burleson: I bought this book mainly because of the large number of photographs of raw materials and fusion tests. Its great to see what an individual substance will do at firing temperatures.
Celadon Blues, Robert Tichane Copper Red Glazes, Robert Tichane Ash Glazes, Robert Tichane: These three books provide a very technical look at how each of these types of glaze works. They provide considerable information on glaze composition but are not recipe books. They are more use for the potter already working glazes of the type and wishing to know more or to solve a specific problem.
Stoneware Glazes, A Systematic Approach, Ian Currie: This is apparently the first presentation of this that Currie made. It looks daunting at first glance and I've not yet had a chance to really go into it, but the Currie grid seems to be a really good test technique. A more accessible presentation of this method is apparently in his later book "Revealing Glazes", which I've not seen.
The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes, John Britt: This book is subtitled "Glazing and Firing at Cone 10". It covers glazes by type, clear, white, iron, blue, green etc. etc. A number of examples of each type are presented, with information on composition, thickness to which they should be mixed, and how they should be fired. The firing information is great, showing a variety of schedules and the results. Additionally, I really like the charts showing the silica alumina proportions of each glaze type. Oh, and there are plenty of pictures of test tiles and pieces to illustrate points in the text.
The Magic of Fire, Tony Hansen: This is Tony Hansen's (DigitalFire Corporation) book on his approach to glaze composition. He does rather crusade against the simply take a recipe and mix it up approach, but his reasoning for this is very sound. Others have done similarly ie. understand and design glazes for a specific result rather than simply take an unknown glaze with unknown properties.
Ash Glazes, Phil Rogers: A great book on ash glaze making. It contains some very simple glazes such granite dust mixed with ash which are very interesting. It also contains a great deal of material on how to prepare ash, and to test you glazes. Many beautiful photos. I am now madly burning wood, for my tests, in my wood stove.
Rock Glazes, Geology and Mineral Processing for Potters, Steve Harrison: I have only recently obtained this book but for those interested in local materials and how to prepare them this looks great.
Ceramic Formulas : The Complete Compendium, John W. Conrad
Ceramic Glazemaking, Richard Behrens
The Potter's Guide to Ceramic Surfaces, Jo Connell
Surface Decoration in Low-Fire Ceramics, Lynn Peters
Decorating Ceramics, M. Pilar Navarro
Ceramic Science for the Potter, W.G. Lawrence & R.R. West: A wonderful informative book on the chemistry and materials science of clays, glazes and their materials.
Elements of Ceramics, F.H. Norton: This is an older book on the subject published originally in 1952, but it is referred to in more recent texts such as Lawrence and West. It contains a lot of information on clay composition and chemical changes as the clay is fired, plasticity and so on.
Introduction to Ceramics, W.D. Kingery, H.K. Bowen & D.R. Uhlmann: This book is plain scary. It is very technical and mathematical. Its designed I think for tertiary studies in ceramics. Its large and covers considerable ground. I have not read it but dipping into even if you don't have the background (and I don't) can be very enlightening. If I had more chemistry and materials knowledge I'm sure I get a vast amount out of it. As it is there's much to be learned from this work.
Clay A Studio Handbook, Vince Pitelka: This book is great source for techniques and tips and general studio information. I have only recently started looking into but have already tried out a couple of techniques for pitchers. As I don't usually throw much functional ware its a great resource.
A Potter's Book, Bernard Leach: Its a classic. Its a mine also. Here's a book by a bloke who did it all from digging clay to making stuff with it, making kilns and so on. Its style is almost a chronicle in a way of what he did to get things done. Well worth the read.
Ceramic Faults and their remedies, Harry Fraser: This is a great little book on stuff that goes wrong. Having such a book is a huge benefit when inevitably stuff does go wrong. Drying problems, glazing problems, firing problems. All with the various possible causes and much to think about to avoid such problems.
Safety in the Ceramics Studio, Jeff Zamek: This is currently the only book dedicated to this topic that I have. Its very good. I learned a great deal from it. If you are unfamiliar with the risks of handling and using ceramic materials then its well worth the read.
What Every Potter Should Know, Jeff Zamek: This book is a collection of short articles on things that you really should know. Topics include barium carbonate, the nature of gerstley borate and colemanite and many more. Good, short and to the point.
Ceramic Form, Design and Decoration, Peter Lane: This book has many pictures and these are great for ideas. In the back there is a section containing silohuettes of pot shapes which are a great way to think about thrown forms.
Pottery Form, Daniel Rhodes
American Shino, The Glaze of a Thousand Faces, Lester Richter: A book on American shino containing some great photos and short pieces on a number of artists.
Hamada, Potter, Bernard Leach: This is a wonderful book full of stories of Hamada written by Leach. Great to read and very informative.
The History of American Ceramics, 1607 to the present, Elaine Levin
The Potter's Brush, The Kenzan Style in Japanese Ceramics, Richard L. Wilson
Mimbres Painted Pottery, J. J. Brody
Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, Li Zhiyan & Cheng Wen
The Traditional Crafts of Porcelain Making in Jingdezhen, Bai Ming
The Unknown Craftsman, A Japanese Insight into Beauty, Soetsu Yanagi: The man behind the folk craft (Mingei) museum in Japan and part of the Hamada/Leach circle. I get the impression he was older than they were. His writing on beauty is interesting though I would not always agree with his viewpoint. That said he was genuinely interested in promoting the idea of folk art and craft and beauty in everyday things. Things I too am interested in.
Materials, A Practical Approach, Steven Branfman: The only book on raku that I have. Its a really good outline of all the stuff you need to know about raku. Clearly written with good photographs. I turned the house upside down when I thought I'd lost it in a move.
The Art of Firing, Nils Lou: This is a good book to read cover to cover to appreciate what firing involves.
The Kiln Book, Frederick L. Olsen: A very readable and highly informative book on kilns. If I only had a place to build one !
Wood-Fired Stoneware and Porcelain, Jack Troy
Laid Back Wood Firing, Steve Harrison
The Law [in plain English] for Crafts, Leonard D. DuBoff
The Potter's Professional Handbook, Steven Branfman
Clay Whistles, Janet Moniot
Agateware Pottery Magic, Mireille De Reilhan
Ceramic Windchimes, John W. Conrad
Handmade Tiles, Frank Giorgini
Gemstones of the World, Walter Schumann